Sameeksha Reddy, 27, was carrying out a temperature check on the hippo at the Tavarekoppa Lion and Safari Zoo in Karnataka, India, on Thursday night when the attack occurred. According to Daily Mail - News, a zoo official described that she initially went to inspect a sun parakeet at 10:30 PM and then went to the hippo's enclosure at 11:45 PM to assess the hippo's temperature with a thermal camera. The hippo, named Hamsini, unexpectedly charged at the veterinarian after the scanning process was completed, inflicting catastrophic injuries. Sameeksha Reddy was rushed to a private hospital in the Shivamogga district in critical condition and succumbed to her injuries on Friday morning. The veterinarian suffered severe internal trauma to her abdomen and significant blood loss, which led to her death, according to medical officials.
The hippo was due for delivery within a few days, according to safari zoo officials. The hippo involved in the attack had been relocated to the Shivamogga safari from the Mysuru Zoo nearly four years ago and was under close observation due to its pregnancy, multiple reports indicate. Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre directed officials to provide compensation to the veterinarian's family and instructed that veterinarians at all zoos in the state must strictly follow Standard Operating Procedures while treating wild animals. He also ordered an inquiry into the incident by a team of senior veterinarians and forest officials, with a report to be submitted within seven days. The specific Standard Operating Procedures that may have been violated or not followed by the veterinarian in India have not been disclosed.
Samiksha initially went to inspect a sun parakeet and then went to the hippo's enclosure at 11:45 PM. She went to assess the hippo's temperature with a thermal camera. The animal suddenly attacked her.
In a separate incident, a man has been arrested after allegedly breaching the enclosure of Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who shot to global social media stardom, at a Thai zoo. Zoo officials confirmed the incident involving the internet sensation Moo Deng. The Thai national entered the enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Tuesday while a keeper was absent and no other visitors were present, according to director Narongwit Chodchoy. Security footage shows a man in a black beanie, sunglasses, green tank top, and brown shorts approaching Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, while holding a tablet, seemingly recording. The man remained inside the enclosure for approximately one to two minutes before staff noticed him.
The individual did not attempt to flee as the zoo contacted police, Mr. Chodchoy said. Police have initially charged the man with trespassing, though the investigation continues, with the zoo indicating it will pursue all available legal avenues. The suspect, who has since been released on bail, was not identified. The identity and motive of the man arrested for trespassing in the Thai hippo enclosure remain unknown, and the exact legal charges and potential penalties he faces are still under investigation. Moo Deng and Jona were safe, as the man did not attempt to touch them, according to Mr. Chodchoy. Despite the man not attempting to touch them, Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, appeared 'slightly startled' by the encounter and are now under veterinary observation, the zoo reported. The specific veterinary observations being conducted on Moo Deng and Jona after the trespassing incident have not been detailed.
She suffered severe injuries and heavy blood loss, which left her unconscious. The zoo staff rushed her to a private hospital in Shivamogga, but she died on Friday morning.
Moo Deng, born in 2024, quickly became a viral sensation thanks to a keeper sharing endearing images and videos online, drawing large crowds from Thailand and abroad. According to The Independent - Main, Vulture described her as having 'little teeny, tiny baby chompers, she’s perpetually wet, and her name means bouncy pork,' calling it 'the ultimate recipe for internet cuteness.' Only a month after her birth, her videos exploded on TikTok and social media quickly became obsessed, Aftonbladet reports. The Associated Press noted that Moo Deng has 'the kind of face that launches a thousand memes.' Officials urged visitors to 'strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for the safety of both themselves and the wildlife.' The Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about 60 miles southeast of Bangkok, spans nearly 2,000 acres and houses over 2,000 animals. Moo Deng was born at the zoo in Chonburi. The exact circumstances leading to the keeper's absence during the trespassing incident in Thailand have not been clarified.
She has little teeny, tiny baby chompers, she’s perpetually wet, and her name means bouncy pork. It’s the ultimate recipe for internet cuteness.
The kind of face that launches a thousand memes.